


The Warrior Princess

by Capucine



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/F, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2015-03-25
Packaged: 2018-03-02 08:08:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2805560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capucine/pseuds/Capucine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Princess Louise is the savior of her people, having driven off a power-hungry brother to save her father's throne. Her father, the King, does not return the favor; instead, he betrothes her to the nine-year-old heir of the neighboring Empire. But her brother, Prince Gilbert, has other ideas, and the Empress Elisaveta's fierce bond to her son may upset the match.</p><p>How far will Louise go to get out of the betrothal? Is Gilbert to be trusted, with his conniving plans against their father? Will the Empress's game cause a war? And what about this tiny girl from the Orient?</p><p>Note: NO SHOTA</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Louise - Germany  
> Gilbert - Prussia  
> Klaus - Kugelmugel  
> Elisaveta - Hungary  
> Roderich - Austria  
> Sakura - Japan  
> Jakob - Hesse

Arranged marriages were not all that horrifying... unless you were Princess Louise.

An old guy, she could handle. Hell, she could even handle some smarmy jerk. But the purplish eyes that looked up at her from the picture were making her want to throw up.

“I can't marry some child!” she protested, gesturing to the portrait vehemently. “Your Majesty, you can't be serious!”

The king shrugged, saying, “He is the sole heir to his empire. He may be nine, but he will grow into a husband you can have children with.”

Louise ground her teeth; it was not princess like, but then, she had always been untraditional. “Your Majesty, I'm trained to fight, not flounce around with some child on my arm!”

“He isn't some child. Klaus is one of the most sought after suitors in the world.” The king didn't seem to have any empathy for his daughter.

“I can't-- Your Majesty, I can't _consummate_ with a child!”

“And you're not expected to. That will happen with he comes of age. Then you will have many children, and guarantee an alliance between our peoples.” 

The king, never Father, was immoveable. He looking down his beard at his jeweled fingers, and held out his scepter for his daughter to kiss. “You may leave.”

It was the closest Louise had come to tears in years. But she bent forward, respectful shield maiden that she was, and kissed it.

“Change into a nice dress instead of those leggings,” the king said, and she bowed.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Frustration knotting up in her throat, she turned to leave, swallowing frequently in order not to cry.

As she exited the throne room, she was immediately pulled aside; Prince Gilbert, her brother, was very lucky not to get punched in the nose. “I don't want to talk right now, Gilbert!”

He still held onto her shoulders, saying, “Come on, tell me what happened in there! Are you really going to have to marry the little brat?”

“I am,” she said stiffly, shrugging out of his hands.

“Don't go getting all distant on me. You can do enough of that when you leave for his court.” Gilbert gave her a reproachful look. But, then he sighed. “Damn it all. He knows. The King knows, doesn't he?”

“Knows?” Louise asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Damn it, Louise, I know you're not the best at politics, but can't you see it? The people believe in you. You're the Warrior Princess who turned back our dear brother's army.” He spit. “That fucker didn't have a chance. But you, you have the best chance. The people believe in you wholeheartedly, they know you have courage and a pure heart--”

“Don't even start with the 'pure heart', Gilbert. You and I both know my hands have been sullied.” Louise was wondering why her brother seemed to think she was poised for takeover.

“Louise, focus! You know what they call you? The Pure Maiden, the Warrior Princess, God's Own Daughter... The King knows that anything could tip the scales in your favor.” Gilbert must have made sure they were alone, or else he wouldn't be talking so freely.

“Well, a lot of good it does me. I'll be married to a child and shipped off to the Empire.” Louise didn't see what Gilbert apparently saw. She adjusted the braces on her wrists, thinking of her great sword, Widow Maker.

Would she never get to hold it again? Would a cup of wine take its place, or a flimsy, superficial scepter? She ran her hands through her long hair.

“There has to be a way to scare off the Empire brat's parents. Make them not want to see you two get married,” Gilbert said, and his eyes went to her hair.

“What?” Louise said, recognizing that look on his face.

“You wear men's clothes. Why not men's hair?” It was an almost mischievous look on Gilbert's face, as he grabbed a lock of her hair.

Louise had never liked her hair. “You think it'll make a difference?”

“What parent isn't afraid of a woman feminizing their son?” Gilbert said with a grin. “Meet me in my room later; I'll cut your hair.”

“If you think it'll work,” Louise said. A flicker of hope rose in her chest. Perhaps she could indeed scare away this suitor.

–----

“Mother, may I have more canvas?” Klaus turned to his mother, Elisaveta, flecks of paint across his face.

“You may have as many as you want,” Elisaveta said, gently stroking the side of his head. His long white hair was unusual for the times, but she did so love it, in all its platinum glory. She never let them snip even one inch off of it, and it was always done in braids.

Klaus nodded, taking another canvas and setting it up. This was all he did all day: paint, paint, paint.

Elisaveta watched with a heavy heart. Roderich didn't often get bossy with her, but he had only days ago.

Her precious one was betrothed, at the young age of nine. She could still remember the dangerous pregnancy with him, the breech birth and the blood lost. She was fourteen at the time, and ever since Roderich had refused to continue trying to have a child.

She didn't remember the pain as much as she remembered seeing Klaus's eyes open for the first time, blue-gray. They changed to purplish later on. And now, at 23, she might as well be a dried out husk for all that Roderich would pay attention to her.

“Mama?” Klaus came over, uncertain eyes on her face, “Is something wrong?”

“No, sweet one,” she said, memorizing his face at this tender age. “Nothing is wrong at all.”

He returned to his painting.

She knew, soon enough, she would have to tell him, have to surrender him from boyhood. But she would hold on to this as long as she could.

The woman, a full seventeen years old, would come within the week to meet her husband-- how sick that word felt in her mind. Elisaveta gazed wistfully at Klaus, the boy fully focused on his art work.

She would find some way to convince Roderich before then. She would save her little child.

And this Princess Louise would not harm one hair on his head.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Louise - Germany  
> Gilbert - Prussia  
> Klaus - Kugelmugel  
> Elisaveta - Hungary  
> Roderich - Austria  
> Sakura - Japan  
> Jakob - Hesse

Jakob had been stupid. He'd tried to pry the power from his father's hands, and he was lucky to be alive now, though rotting in prison. The slash that cut through his eye had left him half-blind, and every day it grew more painful. He didn't dare touch it anymore, for fear of making it hurt worse.

"Is this what you intend to do to me," he muttered to himself, "Have me die alone in prison?" He clenched his teeth, and regretted the way it hurt his wound.

His fingers were cold at the tips, and he wanted to sit on something soft and not wet, but there was nowhere else to sit but against the wall. His chains barely allowed him to move, and he grew more and more racked with pains as the days wore on.

“Hello, Jakob,” came the human words, “Already talking to yourself?”

Jakob turned to look, and there was Gilbert, smirking a bit at his pitiful state. Jakob would've glared, but it would only hurt the infected wound more. “Better than talking to you.”

Gilbert shook his head. “You're so stubborn. Just like dear old Vati and our sister.”

Jakob bristled. “Don't talk to me of Louise. I'd sooner hear I was to die by hanging from the neck than talk about Louise.”

Gilbert shrugged. “Okay, if you say so. I brought you something.”

Instantly, without wanting it to happen, Jakob's mouth began to water. Food? Good food? Could that be what Gilbert was going to give him?

It was food. A kaiser roll was in Gilbert's hand. 

“What do you want?” Jakob asked, trying to keep the desperate need out of his voice.

“Just remember this, okay?” Gilbert winked at his brother, and then threw the roll right into his lap. “See you later, Jakob.”

Jakob tore into the roll, and good god, he hadn't tasted something that was fresh, delicious, for months at least. He would have promised Gilbert anything for it. 

As it was, he remembered, as commanded to.

\-----

Louise's hair looked different shorn off. It was as long as Gilbert's, but she found she liked it.

Her ladies in waiting nearly screamed when they saw her. “What have you done to your hair?” “What in the devil's name possessed you to do this?” “The king will be mad!”

She ignored their words, and said, “Help me to dress for hunting.”

They silently got her her leather pants, made out of thick fabric with leather portions sewn on. Then, they got her riding coat, her binder, all the things she needed.

She stepped out to meet her father for a hunting party. She knew she would shock him, and perhaps make him angry with her. But, if it was enough to stop the foolish betrothal, then she would take whatever punished she received.

At first, her father didn't even look at her. “Glad you could join us, Loui--what have you done to your hair?!”

She kept a calm demeanor. “I could not maintain it, and short hair is more conducive to fighting.”

The King looked as though he would wring her neck. “You are not fighting anymore, do you not understand that? The time for fighting has passed, and you will be woefully stuck with the past if you insist on doing these things!”

Louise said nothing, instead getting into the saddle of her horse.

The King got down from his horse abruptly, saying, “Hunt if you wish. I have better things to attend to.”

Louise didn't know if she'd had the right effect. She could feel her heart trembling in her breast, as though she may have committed something more than a mere small defiance.

She went hunting anyway, and captured several pretty foxes. Their fur would look nice in a jacket for her for the cold months.

She would have to talk to Gilbert about it.

\----

Klaus was adorable. Elisaveta knew that Roderich hated this, or would if he knew it was still going on, but her precious boy just looked better in dresses.

He stood there, hands crossed in front of him, as the long hem dropped past his toes. “Mama,” he started, that usual curious tone, “Are you going to start crying again?”

Elisaveta swiped at her eyes, and then wiped her hands on her long green gown. She walked over to her baby, gently pulling his braids out of his dress. “Mama just loves you, Klaus,” she said, dropping the braids across his front.

“Mama, you don't need to worry. I'll turn into a butterfly and fly back to you if Father tries to make me leave again.” He used a very babyish tone, despite his adult words. He wrapped his arms around her waist, incidentally burying his face in her chest due to his height.

“I know, sweetcake,” Elisaveta sighed, petting his silky hair. He was referring to a time two years ago, when Roderich had come and demanded that Elisaveta stop babying their child and let him have an entourage of his own, as was appropriate for a prince his age. She'd raged at him until he left them alone.

“I love you, Mama,” Klaus said, muffled a little.

Elisaveta didn't know how she was going to stop the betrothal. But she did know it was imperative. She heaved her child up (he wasn't that lightweight anymore), and carried him over to the window. “I love you too, Klaus.”

He buried his face in her shoulder, and she rubbed his back as best as she could.

No one was taking her baby from her.


End file.
